Half to joel b



N M o A. K. GRIM.

ROPE RAILWAY. No. 245,626. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

witnesses- ET Photo-Lithographer. Washingiom n IINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM K. GRIM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JOEL B. LOW, OF SAME PLACE.

ROPE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 245,626, dated August 16, 1881.

Application filed March 14, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM K; GRIM, of San Francisco, California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rope Railways, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the guide-pulleys and swinging bars used for the purpose of guidin g the rope around ahorizontal curve; and it consists in the novel way in which I construct to the swinging bars and combine them with the pulleys and with themselves in sets or series, by which combination certain advantages of operation are obtained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan, showing a rope guided around a curve by my improved guide-pulleys. Fig. 2 is an edge view of a section of a set (amply illustrating the whole) in which the pulleys are shown resting upon the bars. Fig. 3 is a similar edge View, in which the pulleys are shown hanging from below the bars. Fig. 4 is a plan to a larger scale of one of my bars, slightly differing in form from those shown in previous fig- 2 ures, Fig. 5 being an edge view of same.

In all the figures of the drawings similar letters of reference refer to like parts.

In Fig. 1, A is the rope, upon which a gripin g device of any suitable kind is attached. It

is unnecessary that I should show a complete grlping device, as it will serve as suficient illustration for me to show its position. This I have done at B. This gripe is provided with a bevel-ended shoe or plate, C, in a convenient place, so that this shoe will make contact with the guide-pulleys instead of the gripe itself,

and with a gradual easy approach, so that there may be no sudden shock.

I) D, 850., are the guide-pulleys, which carry 0 the rope upon an approximate curved line.

They revolve upon Vertical pins E E, &c.-, projecting (upward, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and downward, as in Fig. 3) from one end (it is immaterial which) of each of the swinging bars F F,

' 5 860. These swinging bars vibrate on the fulcrum-pins Gr G, 850. Each bar F, as in Fig. 1, projects (at that end opposite the one on which its guide-pulley is secured) behind the pin E, carrying the next guide-wheel on the next bar (No model.)

in advance, if there be one, in such a manner as that when the guide-pulley on one end of a bar is pressed back the other end of a bar to which it is attached will push forward the guide-pulley secured to this bar next in advance; and, again, if there be a bar and pulley next behind, asimilar effect will be produced. Of course, as at each end of the curve there is a first bar-or last bar, there can be no double action by these end bars. The result of the combined action of these swinging bars is such that the wheels always hold the rope perfectly straight and in line with the gripe-j aws between supports or guides-that is to say, it is always insured that the rope will not be bent at an angle immediately before and after passing through the gripe-jaws-a matter which is important, as it is very injurious to wire ropes running on this class of railways to cause them to continually pass sharp angles or bends.

By my system there is also the further advantage of avoiding side or torsional strain upon the gripe and consequent friction of the gripe-shank against the side of the slot when myinvention is applied in underground tubes, because, the rope being held at all times parallel with a chord of the are through which the gripe is traveling, the strain is necessarily directly within line of travel, or as nearly so as the succession of short chords approaches the true curve. If it were otherwise and the rope were permitted to pull at various angles to the actual line of travel, it will be readily understood that the passage of the gripe around the curve would be attended with a very great friction of the shank on the side of the slot in those cases where the gripe moves in an underground slotted tube.

1 also find that with my plan of combining the swinging bars the rope is not subjected to any extra strain as the gripe passes the guide pulleys, the action being such that, as nearly as may be, a compensation occurs as the pulleys swing in or out, which insures the same length of rope sufficing to encompass the curve,

whether the gripe be passing through or not.

I showin Figs. 4 and 5 a plan and edge view of a swinging bar which is a little different from that shown in Fig. l, inasmuch as I have made a slotted end at H to receive the pins E attached to each bar is pushed back by the of the bar adjoining, thus more securely conpassing gripe the guide-pulleys in front and necting all the swinging bars together. rear (one or both) will be correspondingly set What I claim as my invention, and desire to forward, so as to maintain the ropein a straight 5 secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: I line between alternate pulleys when the gripe I 5 The combination of three or more swinging I is between, substantially as described.

bars, F F F, (vibrating on fulcrum-pins G G ABRAHAM K. GRIM.

G,) having each a guide pulley, D, on one end, Witnesses:

and engaging with the bar or bars adjoining GEORGE PARDY,

10 in such manner as that when the guide-pulley JOHN PARDY. 

